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Tredegar House, Wales

In History of Modern Wales Philip Jenkins describes how aristocracy in Wales grew up under the Tudors. The Morgan family of Tredegar certainly illustrate this Tudor link. 1485 was to see the final showdown between the last Plantagenet king Richard III, and the pretender Henry Tudor. Henry was to defeat Richard at the Battle of Bosworth, and become Henry VII, and anyone who supported the new king was rewarded. John ap Morgan's support for Henry VII in 1485 was to secure the Morgan fortunes. The family achieved gentry status, and a house was built at Tredegar to reflect this. Powerful families established under the Tudors were to run Wales for centuries afterwards, making their money from entrepreneurial activities. South Wales was rich in mineral deposits, and the Morgan family made a fortune through financial and industrial enterprises. The presence of wealthy families with money to spend and large land holdings was an important element in giving momentum to the Industrial Revolution. In other countries only the monarchy had sufficient land and resources to mount industrial projects, and the monarchy was rarely a source of entrepreneurial innovation.

The influence of powerful families was to continue in Wales longer than it did in England, but gentry ruled Wales came to an end between 1880 and 1918. Many families lost heirs in the First World War. All were devastated by war taxes. Power was being transferred to county councils on the English model. The great houses of once powerful Welsh families were often demolished. Tredegar House is one of the few to survive. The Morgan family was to remain living at Tredegar House until the 1950s, when it was sold to Newport Borough Council, one of the councils which had taken power away from affluent Welsh families during the first part of the twentieth century.

 

 

Address: Tredegar House, Newport, South Wales NP10 8YW.

Opening Times: The park and woodland walk are open all year from 9am until dusk. The house is open Easter to the end of September, with house tours Wednesday - Sunday, between 11am and 4pm.

Directions: Tredegar House is just off the M4, exit 28 near Newport. Click here for an interactive road and satellite map centred on Tredegar House.

Access: There is level access to some public areas in the house. Adapted toilet facilities available.

Contact:

telephone: 01633 815 880

fax: 01633 815 895

web site: http://www.newport.gov.uk/_dc/index.cfm?fuseaction=thingstosee.tredegarhouse

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